Drapery, curtain, and similar hangings



Jan. 9, 1945. K. A. SIDEN 2,366,986

DRAPERY, (JUI'UJIIHN, AND SIMILAR HANGING Filed Nov. 9. 1942 I Patented Jan. 9, 1945 umrsu a TATE PATENT" oFFlC-E naarnnnooa'ram, AND SIMILAR HANGING S Karl l ke Sidn, Sandviken, Sweden Application November '9, .1942", Serial No. 65,054 I InSweden October .1, 1 941 I v I 4 claims. (or. ism-348,) 5

Theipresent invention refers-to an improve ment for draperies',,curtains and similar'h'angines in order-to makethem hang in as regular folds as possible. The invention is particularly important for hangings which are sometimes pulled, sometimes moreor less drawn aside and which are to hang in folds in one or severalof their various positions; because the invention makes it possible to arrange thefolds more regularly and make them the same size along the entire front of the hanging. The principal import of the invention is that the curtain or other hanging is provided, suitably closeto and along the=upper edge, with a leaf spring or resilient wire (possibly several), which in its horizontal plane is bent or strives to bend in zig-zag or waving line and is fixed in the curtain in such a way that the curtain falls into folds corresponding tothe waving line.

The improvement is illustrated on the attached drawing in which:

Fig. lisa fragmentary perspective view ofa supporting rod and a drapery embodying the invention, as seen fr'om in front of and somewhat above the upper edge of the drapery;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the resilient member of Fig. 1 in contracted unstressed condition; y

3 is a similar plan view but showing the resilient member in approximately completely extended condition} Figs. 4 and 5 are frontelevations of portions of extended resilient members having difierent forms of structure at the points of symmetry or the undulatory resilient member; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan viewsof another form of resilient member as seen in partially extended and in contracted condition respectively- I designates a curtain or drapery and 2 an ordinary curtain rod, on which the curtain (or' drapery) hangs suspended. According to the invention there is inserted in the upper hem of the curtain a leaf spring 3 visible to the. left in Fig. l on which part of the cloth is shown cut away right in front of the spring. The spring is bent in zig-zag, i. e. in gently undulated bends, 4

so that it obtains a certain wavinessin the horizontalplane or, when regarding the spring alone,

in a plane at right angles to the flat sides of the spring. In Fig. 1 the spring is shown partly pulled out and in Fig. 3 almost quite pulled out. Its original shape, 1. e. after the bending, is shown from above in Fig. 2. Thecurtain may as usual be fixed on the rod 2 with rings 4 and in so doing the fixing points of the curtain should be placed along the central axis of the undu lated'contour of the resilient member. As shown in Figs. 2, ,3 and 4, these'points of symmetry may be indicated by notches 5 in one or both edges of. the re'li'ent member 3. Alternatively, as. .shownin Fig. vided toidentifythe points of symmetry at which the suspension rings 4 should be attached. I Instead of rings the curtain may naturallyalso be suspended by the aid of jams or hooks provided with runners of ordinary type. I

As the spring may be pulled out considerably without losing its springiness, it may suitably be used for drawing curtains and draperies, which obtain a very regular and attractive appearance drawn or drawn aside in various degrees. For curtains of this type one should choose a spring of comparatively great elastic force. A special catching arrangement is not required to retain the drapery in a desired extended condition when the string system for drawing the drapery has an inertia or frictional resistance to movement that exceeds the tension of the spring when drawn out to the'degree desired.

But also for curtains whichare not intended to be pulled, the wave-like spring will be in its proper place.

For curtains of this type it will be appropriate to use a comparatively weak spring to arrange the curtain in the width desired without using a special catching or pulling system.

The essential import of the present invention is that one will be able to control the arrangement of the folds in quite a different way than hithertofore when it has been done more or less at random. The more or less drooping parts of the curtain between the fixing points, which have previously :been impossible to avoid for curtains with several fixing points, will be held up by the spring, so that the whole upper edge of thecurtain will be on the same level and at the same time fashioned in a way which is advantageous in regard to the arrangement of the folds. By its own weight the curtain will tend to assume the same regular waviness all over. I

{The arrangement in question has also other advantages as for instance that it does not ne-, cessitate any particular type of curtain-rod, that it is applicable to already existing curtains, that it may be applied without the presence of a professional man, that it is easy to remove and reapply, which is of advantage for instance whenv the curtains are 'to be washed, and that it may be invisible when applied in the hem.

The spring may be manufactured from metal,

5,'small holes 6 may be protate the feeding of the material. If there are holes 6, there will also be the possibility of hanging up the curtain on pointed hooks (on runners) 'which should then be passed through both the hem and the holes in the spring. -A symmetry point indicated by a hole or otherwise is of advantage, when the spring has been passed into the hem, because one may then feel'exactly with the fingers where the ring (jam or hook) should be fixed.

In certain cases a more or less regular variation in shaping the folds might be desirable,

for instance as according to Figs. 6 and 7, the resilient member for determining the configuration of the hanging may include undulatory sections 3a alternating with linear sections 3?).

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a decorative hanging to be supported from a rod, a drape, a resilient member secured to and along the upper edge of the drape, said .member being of sinuous form, in a horizontal plane and extensible to adjust the effective width of the drape, and means connected to and spaced along the upper edge of the drape at points of symmetry of the sinuous resilient member for supporting the drape upon the rod.

2. In a decorative hanging as recited in claim 1, wherein said resilient member has means identifying. the points at which the plane of symmetry cuts across the sinusoidal form, thereby to indicate points at which said supporting means may be connected to the upper edge of the drape.

3. In a decorative hanging, the invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said resilient member isprovided with openings at points where the plane of symmetry cuts across the member, and said supporting means comprise members extending through said openings and the upper edge of the drape.

4. In a decorative hanging, the invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said resilient member is aspring strip reversely bent to sinusoidal form, the unstressed retracted length of the bent spring strip being substantially less than the Width of the extended drape.

KARL AKE SIDE'IN. 

